Study title

The policy timeline was developed as a dataset for the Freelancers in the Dark Project by Ali FitzGibbon and Laura Harris with support from Alexandra Young. Using public statements, media coverage and online reporting, it marks dates of relevance to the experience of theatre freelancers between January 2020 (when certain early reporting of COVID-19 began to emerge) and March 2022, the 2 year anniversary of the UK outbreak and lockdowns and end of the research project. The timeline was published using the open-source tool developed by knight lab. An early version was published in June 2021 and contributions invited. The final version was completed on 28 June 2022. Events are labelled according to their place of relevance: UK, England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland or Global. The raw dataset (in MS Excel) can be filtered to support searches for particular changes to guidance, key campaigns from freelancers, trade unions, etc.COVID-19 threatens the performing arts; closures of theatres and outlawing of public gatherings have proven financially devastating to the industry across the United Kingdom and, indeed, the world. The pandemic has sparked a wide range of industry-led strategies designed to alleviate financial consequences and improve audience capture amidst social distancing. COVID-19 has affected all levels of the sector but poses an existential threat to freelancers--Independent Arts Workers (IAWs)--who make up 60% of industry workforce in the UK (EU Labour Force Survey 2017). The crisis has put a spotlight on the vulnerable working conditions, economic sustainability, mental wellbeing, and community support networks of IAWs. IAWs are often overlooked by the industry and researchers, however it is their very precarity that makes them pioneers of adaptability responsible for key innovation within the sector. IAWs may prove essential for the industry's regrowth post-COVID-19. An investigation is necessary into the impact of COVID-19 on IAWs and the...